Safety work to reduce the "mortal danger" of head-on crashes on one of Somerset's most notorious routes will begin in a few months' time.

The A303 Ilminster bypass has been the scene of numerous fatal crashes in recent years, and Highways England is planning work to help prevent vehicles crossing onto the wrong side of the single carriageway stretch.

There are long term plans to convert the bypass into a dual carriageway after 2022.

But a project due to begin in the spring of 2019 will make the road safer in the meantime.

The work has been welcomed by Yeovil MP Marcus Fysh, who described the problem of vehicles crossing onto the wrong side of the road as a "mortal danger" in a Tweet.

He told Somerset Live: "Vehicles drifting into oncoming lanes when rounding bends has been identified as raising the risk to life on this stretch of road.

"I very much welcome the safety improvements, which I understand may include more intense strips of cats eyes and rumble strips, brighter road markings, and more separation of the oncoming lanes and warnings, in order to do more to prevent vehicles drifting into the oncoming lanes in particular when rounding bends.

"The safety improvements are with Highways England's design team and will be announced before too long, I understand."

A303 from the Ilminster bypass

Plans are well advanced for dualling other sections of the A303 near Sparkford in Somerset and Stonehenge in Wiltshire.

Plans to dual the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton, linking the A303 and M5, are also under development.

Making the Iliminster bypass a dual carriageway is being considered as part of longer term plans being discussed at a ministerial level as part of a further phase of road investment after 2022, Mr Fysh said.

He said: "Road Investment Strategy 2, the second five year plan period for road investment by the Department for Transport, is in discussion with Ministers currently and its detail will be announced in due course.

"This including the follow on sections for dualling after those started in Road Investment Strategy 1 which dealt with Sparkford-Ilchester, Stonehenge and A358 Southfields roundabout to Taunton."